Beneath Odesa lies an incredible labyrinth known as the catacombs. In the early 19th Century, city developers discovered that the plentiful limestone, just meters below, was perfect for construction. Many of Odesa’s famous architectural monuments are built of bricks cut from this quarried stone; the unintended result was one of the world’s largest networks of tunnels. 
Unlike the catacombs of Paris and Rome, the only skulls and bones entombed in Odesa’s catacombs are those of the crazy-brave miners, smugglers, partisans and spelunkers who were unlucky enough to lose their way in this 2,500 km long maze.
The only authorized entrance is located in the small village of Nerubayske, 12 km from Odesa’s centre. The Museum of Partisan Glory offers a small yet fascinating glimpse into this vast underground world and is a fitting tribute to the courageous Soviet partisans who lived and staged guerrilla attacks from this sanctuary against Nazi occupiers. You’ll need to hire a guide; they’re the only ones with keys to the entrance. The guide services listed below provide excursions in English and Russian and can arrange transportation to and from Nerubayske.